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Daily Archives: December 5, 2009

Will Webb, executive director of the Meineke Car Care Bowl, will wait for the outcome of tonight’s Atlantic Coast Conference title game between Clemson and Georgia Tech before deciding between Rutgers and Pittsburgh as its Big East representative.

Like the Big East side, the choice of ACC teams boils down to two: Miami or North Carolina.

Rutgers coach Greg Schiano on his team's defeat: "I was proud of the guys with the way they continued to fight. Unfortunately, we came up a little short. We had our opportunities to win the football game but credit West Virginia — they stopped us.'' (AP photo)

Listen to what Rutgers coach Greg Schiano had to say following his team’s 24-21 defeat to West Virginia on Saturday.

Devin McCourty on Rutgers' 24-21 setback to West Virginia: "We put a lot out there. To come up short hurts. We just have to deal with the disappointment and realize that we played well enough this season to earn a bowl game. Now it's the seniors' time to get the guys refocused and ready for a bowl game.'' (Photo by Mark R. Sullivan/MyCentralJersey.com)

PISCATAWAY — Rutgers coach Greg Schiano refused to give any credence throughout the week to West Virginia’s winning streak, which now stands at 15 after the Mountaineers turned back the Scarlet Knights 24-21 on Saturday afternoon.

Schiano continued that refrain following the defeat, bristling at a question of why games against West Virginia seemingly go down to the wire with the same result each time.

“”People won’t believe this but I really don’t have this ‘West Virginia thing,’‚” Schiano said of the only Big East team he’s never beaten in his nine-year tenure. “”We work so hard every game. Every game is equally important. Unless you do what we do I don’t think you can understand it.

“”It’s no disrespect to anybody. I don’t work harder for any team. I really don’t think about the winning streak they have on us.”

Unsure of his team’s bowl fate in the aftermath of his team’s defeat, Schiano said he had an idea of where his 8-4 squad deserved to go for the postseason.

The Rutgers coach kept those thoughts to himself, but noted the importance that his team has another game to ease the sting of a humbling defeat.

“”I have a preference … but we’ll see how it plays out,” said Schiano, who was waiting to hear from the Meineke Car Care Bowl, which was deciding between Rutgers and Pittsburgh on Saturday evening.

While West Virginia (9-3, 5-2) accepted an invitation from the Gator Bowl after the win, the Scarlet Knights’ postseason destination was down to Charlotte, N.C., the St. Petersburg Bowl, the PapaJohns.com Bowl and the International Bowl as the announced crowd of 52,534 exited Rutgers Stadium.

A rout appeared imminent when Rutgers fell behind 21-3 in the third quarter, but junior Joe Lefeged put it on hold by returning a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown. It was the first of his career, but this was really a team score, as the Scarlet Knights’ blockers parted the Blue-and-Gold Sea and Lefeged raced through untouched.

WORST PLAY

Deep in his own territory, Rutgers quarterback Tom Savage looked every bit the freshman when his telegraphed pass to the left flat was intercepted by West Virginia corner Sidney Glover, who brought it back 24 yards. That gave the Mountaineers a 21-3 lead and while it idn’t bury the Scarlet Knights, it put them in a hole too deep to climb out of.

PISCATAWAY — The next football game Rutgers plays will mark its fifth straight bowl appearance, a run of success unparalleled in the program’s long history.

Except no one was in a celebrating mood as the snow intensified a short time after West Virginia quarterback Jarrett Brown took a knee for the final time, sealing a 15th straight win over the Scarlet Knights.

PISCATAWAY — The thousands of fans who slinked out of Rutgers Stadium at halftime Saturday missed a wild finish typical of the Scarlet Knights’ series with West Virginia.

Momentum kept changing hands as big plays and colossal miscues dominated the fourth quarter, but in the end the Scarlet Knights squandered their opportunities and fell 24-21, the 15th straight time they’ve lost to the Mountaineers.

Greetings from Rutgers Stadium, where the Scarlet Knights will play host to West Virginia in the regular-season finale. Kickoff is slated for 12:02 p.m., and I’m glad to report that I’ll be up in the toasty warm press box providing instant analysis and news throughout the game.

‹— In recent years, the knock against Rutgers defense was that it struggled against spread offenses like the one West Virginia employs. But the Scarlet Knights debunked that notion in a 31-0 pasting of South Florida. While West Virginia’s offense is more multiple than USF’s, the Mountaineers have chalked up 731 total yards of offense in their past two meetings against Rutgers. Because all three linebackers possess above-average speed, Rutgers appears better equipped to match up with West Virginia’s spread today. But stopping West Virginia’s multi-faceted offense remains to be seen.

The final Big Ten match and a weekend to go over .500 The last weekend of the regular season....and Rutgers is sub-.500. Let me catch my breath. It’s been a rough season: the high of putting Nick Suriano on the mat coupled with the low of not having Anthony Ashnault. Injuries and a lack of […]